Iris Maria Chavez

Iris Maria Chavez

Iris Maria Chávez is a government affairs, community engagement, and communications professional. With over 15 years of experience working with advocacy organizations and think tanks to advance state and federal policy, Iris Maria is focused on improving outcomes for communities and increasing government accountability. As part of this work, she has successfully built issue advocacy campaigns with a variety of advocacy and civil rights organizations across the country leading to bipartisan legislation providing critical investments in education, public safety, and child welfare.

During her career, Iris Maria has built coalitions with and advocated on behalf of organizations such as the Education Trust, League of United Latin American Citizens, Chalkboard Project, Children’s Institute, Partnership for Safety & Justice, Sponsors, Inc., and the Oregon Coalition of Community Charter Schools.

Iris Maria’s volunteer work also focuses on community engagement and equity. She is the board chair for the Partnership for Safety & Justice and serves on the board of the Latino Network Action Fund. Chávez previously served on the City Club of Portland’s Board of Governors, as a founding member of both the Board of Directors for the Coalition of Public Independent Charter Schools and the Columbia Heights Initiative in Washington, D.C. She is a past chair of the D.C. Police Complaints Board.